Five Easy Pieces Vinyl, CD & Tape 3 Artikel

Last Scene Two years on from the release of his debut album called ‘Natureboy’, Dario Rojo Guerra, aka Natureboy Flako, is back with a new six-song EP on Five Easy Pieces. ‘Natureboy Flako’ is a self-titled collection of music culled from over 200 recording sessions since Guerra moved from London to Berlin in late 2015. It’s the first work that unites the artistic identity of Flako with that of the Natureboy persona at the heart of his debut album, and is the debut for a new artist name: Natureboy Flako. Moving away from the live instrumentation of his debut LP, ‘Natureboy Flako’ is the most electronic-sounding record he’s made, using old analogue equipment such as Korg’s MS-20, ARP Odyssey and Roland’s SH-2000 synthesisers, as well as new instruments such as Arturia’s MiniBrute. Where previous songs relied on overdubs, most of these songs were recorded in one take, with little overdubbing, making it his most live record to date. As with 2015’s album ‘Natureboy’, the six-song EP sees Guerra searching for musical balance. Both sides of the record offer contrasting energies, with the A-side featuring some of the heaviest tracks he’s made and the cinematic B-side made up of more reflective compositions. However, both sides are equally propulsive, with driving arpeggios forming the backbone of much of the EP.

Along with Mo Kolours, Jeen Bassa, Henry Wu, Al Dobson Jr and Tenderlonious; he’s helped forge in the 22a co-operative that The Fader calls “a kaleidoscopic patchwork of hip-hop, house, and groove investigations bound by one thread: a timeless belief in rhythm as a universal language”. Part percussive ancestral music, part post-Dilla funk, Mamode’s debut album is a galactic, joyful, and above all funky record. It is a statement of intent from this rising underground star.

Following 2012’s beautiful "Eclosure EP", Dario Rojo Guerra aka Flako, also known as the blue-eyed soul soul singer Dirg Gerner on Floating Point's Eglo label, returns to business with his new EP Kuku. The production is dense, with all manner of synth squelches reverberating whilst retaining a latin American kick. Each track is sliced with a evocative exotica and unrestricted creativity, made up of hints of organic and orchestral components.